Da'Quan Bowers 2011 NFL Draft scouting report

Pass rush: Bowers has a good burst off the line that he turns into power. Shows good snap anticipation. By far the best bull-rushing defensive end in this year’s draft. Has impressive power to move offensive linemen backwards. Effectively uses a swim to get past linemen. Doesn’t really use other pass rush moves other than the swim.

Pursuit: Is very good in pursuit, especially against the run. Shows good range to make plays on the backside. When Bowers gives full effort, he works hard to the ball. Had some lapses as a junior where he throttled his play down.

Run defense: Is a powerful defensive end who can get low to stop the run. Is better working the run to the inside than the outside. Still, Bowers mostly bull rushes and works to keep outside contain. Has lined up at tackle and has the power to beat guards when he stays low.

Strength: Here is one of the main areas that makes Bowers ready for the NFL right now. He shows the strength to bull rush offensive linemen backwards and at times demands double teams. Has some trouble against double teams, especially when he’s not low. Got to show off his power plenty as a junior when Clemson used him as a 3-technique to pass rush from the inside.

Tackling: Can be an explosive hitter when he reaches the ball carrier. Has the strength to knock the ball loose on tackles. Changes direction pretty fluidly to keep up with shifty runners.

Technique: For Bowers to succeed his has to get leverage. At times in 2010, though, he often came out of his stance too high, allowing linemen to get below him. While Bowers doesn’t get driven backwards, he does get held up. Has good hand usage to fight off linemen, though. Rarely gets in trouble against counter moves.

Final word: Not a lot of true defensive end prospects have Bowers’ blend of strength, size and quickness. Make no mistake, he’s the kind of 4-3 end that a team can plug in for years to get pressure on the quarterback. Bowers can also shift inside in nickel situations and is strong and instinctual enough to handle draws.

The most obvious comparison for Bowers is former New York Giants end Michael Strahan. Bowers isn’t quite as boisterous as Strahan, but he’s similar in playing style. Bowers has a good burst off the snap and turns that burst into power.

His main move is a straight forward bull rush with a swim, just like Strahan. You might not get a lot of double moves or spins out of Bowers, but he doesn’t need them.

Bowers was highly recruited out of high school but was considered an underachiever until 2010. A knee injury that essentially knocked him out of three games slowed his progress as a sophomore. But he finally delivered as a junior. He came into the year in much better shape and finished with 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss.

Share this:

About the Author

Founder of the NFL draft site, New Era Scouting, Miller’s work has been featured on NFL.com, SI.com and USA Today as well as utilized by NFL, CFL, and AFL teams. Miller is known for his in-depth scouting analysis and real-time breakdowns.